Angel
by lightpaladin
Summary: Jayson came to this world to destroy Soul Edge for personal reasons. Only problem is, he's also an elf! But a certain Athenian swordswoman seems to take that fact quite well...good lord, I suck at summaries. A little Cassandra X OC. Read and Review!
1. Character Profile

Hello, everybody! Another fic courtesy of yours truly, Lightpaladin, is up and running. And it's my first SCII fic, so bear with me, okay? And no flames, okay?

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur II and never will, but I do own Jayson!

Jayson: Hey, you do not own me!

L.P.: Correction: Yes, I do. Without me, there would be no you.

Jayson: Oh…I guess that makes sense.

L.P.: Jayson is my OC, so you can't take him. Otherwise, you WILL be sued! Got that? Good, good. Now, on with the fic!

XDXDXDXD

Well, before I get started with the fic, here is my OC's profile:

Jayson Isaac Elleck IX

**Age**: 17 (aging has stopped)

**Birthplace**: Valorius (details further in)

**Height**: 5' 11"

**Weight**: No one knows why, but he refuses to reveal it to ANYONE.

**Birth date**: Estimated to be April 12th.

**Blood type**: Unknown

**Weapon**: Longsword (knuckle-guard type)

**Weapon Name**: Trinity Sword

**Discipline**: Minahashi-no-hari (that means "Style of the Gods")

**Family**:

_Father_: Jayson Elleck VIII

_Mother_: (murdered)

_Wife_: Trisha

_Three sons_: Jayson X, Alistair, Tobias

_Two daughters_: Beryl, Jasmine

_Brother_: Zachariah

_Two sisters_: Kathryn, Zoë

_Disciples_: (slaughtered)

For the first time ever since pulling the Trinity Sword out of its pedestal, Jayson, the current ruler of Valorius, had felt pure rage boil within him. The bodies of his disciples lay in small puddles of blood, their bodies charred with the element known as Black Fire. What angered him the most was his mother…his dear, sweet mother…dead before his eyes, her body charred by Black Fire. He then turned to the one who caused this senseless death: Otashingo, ruler of the serpent demons and the god of Black Fire from legends past thought to have been sealed away for millennia. A small shard of blood-red metal emanating an evil aura hung around his neck. In rage, Jayson fought Otashingo, and eventually succeeded in sealing away the evil demon.

After his anger quelled, Jayson gave his mother and disciples a proper burial and vowed to place flowers upon their graves once he determines the cause of the demon's resurrection and wipes it out completely. He came across that same peculiar fragment that hung around the demon's neck. An evil aura still pulsed through this metal shard. He questioned the gods about this shard. That was when he learned that the shard was one of many shards of an unholy weapon. Known as Soul Edge, it feeds on souls and brings forth chaos. Then he learned that it resided in another world. How it got to Valorius, he may never know. But Jayson knew that if something this small had the power to resurrect a demon as powerful as Otashingo, in its full form it would bring pandemonium.

Not wanting his friend to find this for power, Jayson kept it a secret from him.

Jayson prepared himself to leave for this new world. His goal was to completely eradicate Soul Edge. He knew that even though there would be enough power to send him to this world, there would be none to send him back. But his mind was made up. He would destroy Soul Edge for killing his disciples and, most of all, his mother. Even though he never thought of revenge as motivation, this wasn't revenge…it was punishment.

He went through the portal with his mother's beloved amulet around his neck.

XDXDXDXD

Okay, this is my OC's profile. I hope it was good. So review!

Lightpaladin;)


	2. Competition

Hello, friends! Here is the first chapter of my SCII fic! And yes, I changed the plot around a little because I thought it was lame. Anyhoo, here's the disclaimer!

Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Calibur II and never will, but I do own Jayson because he's my OC!

XDXDXDXD

**Angel**

**Chapter I: Competition**

/\/\/\/\

_Transcending history and the world, a tale of souls and swords eternally retold…_

/\/\/\/\

A white-cloaked figure looked over his surroundings. He was in a deep forest with trees of many shapes and sizes dotting the landscape. With so many trees, one might think this forest would be dark and phantasmal. Still, the trees let plenty of sunlight come through, lighting up the forest in such a way that the rays could actually be seen. This brought such an aura of comfort to the white-clad stranger that he felt like he was actually at home in his world. Yet he was not, and he knew there would be no turning back. He had made up his mind to rid this world of the malevolent, soul-devouring sword known as Soul Edge.

Soul Edge…the very name of it brought a chill of hatred and sorrow down his spine. It was because of Soul Edge that he came here in the first place. He was here to eradicate it forever. It killed his disciples; the twelve of them were not only his fierce guardians, but they were his good friends as well. It also killed his mother…his dear, sweet mother, whose peaceful smile, glimmering jaded eyes, and soothing, melodic voice could bring the most troubled of souls at ease. All of them…lost to an evil blade with nothing but souls on its twisted mind. His single eye almost watered in a tear.

He carefully set those memories into the back of his head, for they were temporarily obscuring his current situation. He started walking through the heavily wooded forest, hoping to find no one hostile. Most of all, he hoped not to get himself lost.

After nearly an hour of travel, he was still in the forest.

_I am officially lost now, _he thought. _This forest doesn't seem to end! Help…_

Eventually his hopes lit up, for after ten minutes of traveling east, he soon found the edge of the forest. Not only that, he was standing on a green, grassy hill overlooking a medium-sized village. He then looked up in the sky and saw that the sun was at its highest point, marking noon. The stranger figured that he would get there before the sun set. Brushing some of his blonde strands from his face, he walked down the hill towards the town.

"Well," he said to himself, "at least now I know where I am going."

As he moved closer to the town, however, he noticed some storm clouds building up above him. The large, anvil-shaped clouds concealed the azure sky without haste. A flash of lightning, a rumble of thunder, and the first few drops of rain signaled the start of the storm. In no time at all, the small droplets became a torrential downpour.

"Great," he sighed in exasperation. "It's a good thing I have my cloak with me, otherwise I would be drenched." He looked down at his white cloak, which was being bombarded by rain. Thankful for this fact, he pressed onward. In no time at all, he reached a large pair of maple gates reinforced with iron bars and rivets. He knocked on them repeatedly. A gruff man opened a peephole built in the gate and stared at the white-cloaked figure.

"What do you want?" he said in a demanding tone.

"I wish to stay at the inn," the stranger in white replied, ignoring the man's tone of voice.

Suddenly, the man seemed affable. "Ah, yes, yes!" He closed the peephole with an abrupt slam. The sound of clanking metal could be heard as the man swung open the gate slowly. He then urged the white-cloaked figure to come through the gates. He walked through.

"Thank you, my friend," he said to the man. "Can you tell me where the inn is?"

"Down that way," the man replied, pointing down the main street through the wall of rain. "It's the largest building on the right." He then looked up to the sky, which was unleashing its rain without mercy. "You might want to get there before it gets worse."

"Again, I thank you," the white-clad figure said. He walked down the muddy street towards the inn. Strangely enough, people still occupied the road, frantically loading their carts with their provisions, slipping and sliding in the mud all the while. The white-clad figure thought this as slightly amusing as he himself took care not to stumble. He made his way to the inn without incident. Thankfully, the mahogany door wasn't locked, and he let himself in, taking care not to track in mud. He walked up to a man sitting behind the front counter. The man stared at him for a second, and then smiled.

"Good evening, sir," he said. "Caught by the rain, yeah?"

The person cloaked in white chuckled lightheartedly. "I guess you can say that. I would like to stay here for a couple of nights."

"Ah, yes. I thought ye might say that," the man replied. "Anyhow, it's five silver a night to stay here."

The stranger before him reached into his cloak and pulled out a red, crescent-shaped ruby no bigger than his thumb and handed it to the man. "This is all I have," he said.

The man behind the counter stared with wide eyes. "Well, normally I wouldn't accept this, but seein' that ye don't have anything else, then feel free to stay here." He then gave a brass key to him. "Yer room's down that hall, second door to the left. Enjoy yer stay."

"Thank you," he replied as he made his way to the room and let himself in. The room consisted of a hay-stuffed mattress on a wooden frame, a side table with a clay platter on top of it, an oil lantern, and an ornately decorated red rug. Smiling, he sat down on the bed and went into deep meditation. He meditated well into the night and then just ended up falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

/\/\/\/\

The rain had ceased overnight, and the sunrise that followed was certainly one to behold. The white cloaked stranger yawned, surprised at the fact that he had fallen asleep. Paying it no mind, he took his cloak and left his room. He entered the tavern part of the inn and saw that many of the people who were staying at the inn had already woken up and were now chatting idly amongst themselves. But then he came across a young woman sitting alone at one of the corner tables.

She seemed to be in her very early twenties. Her skin was slightly pale, but not too much. Her attire looked…interesting, to say the least. She was garbed in a white one-piece sleeveless shirt and skirt that was blue down the middle. A brown leather belt with intricate markings was wrapped around her finely shaped waist. The skirt fell just halfway down her thighs and ended in a zigzag pattern. Brown leggings adorned her legs and ended in white boots with blue fronts. She also wore pure white gloves that took up three quarters of her slender arms' length. Small, metal, circular shoulder plates were tied to the point where her gloves ended with pink ribbons. Another piece of blue hung on her shoulders and split into two at her upper back. It met up at a high, loose collar that was held together by a pink neckpiece with a gold design etched into it. A white tiara was perched on top of her short, light blonde hair, and her eyes were as azure as the sky on a cloudless day. Next to the chair she was sitting on were a short sword and a small blue shield with an unfamiliar yellow symbol etched in the middle.

_Interesting,_ he thought as he made his way to the bar. The man to whom he gave that ruby was happening to be standing behind there, cleaning out a clay mug. The man turned to the white-cloaked stranger, his dull brown gaze fixed on him.

"Oh, it's you," the man said. "Can I interest ye in some ale?"

"Just a shot, please," the white-clad stranger said. "I'm not usually a big drinker."

"I know what ye mean," the bartender replied. "Not many of my customers drink big this early in the morning." He then strolled over to one of the many oak barrels. "Do ye like mild, bitter, or pale?"

"Mild, please," the stranger replied. As the bartender was fixing his glass, the stranger took another glance at that young woman in the corner. However, his attention was immediately broken by a nudge to his shoulder. He turned around to see that the bartender had his shot ready. Thanking him, the stranger downed it immediately, the gentle, sweet taste swirling around in his mouth all the while.

The bartender stared at the stranger for a moment. Then he glanced at an oddly designed sword strapped to a brown belt around the stranger's waist. "Are ye a strong warrior?" he asked.

The white-clad stranger chuckled a little. "I guess you can say that," he replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, there's gonna be a village fighting competition later on this afternoon," the barkeep answered. "Ye look like a competent swordsman, so how's about signing up?"

The stranger thought it through. He knew he had to find Soul Edge sooner or later, but he also knew that he should not stress over it too often. He should at least a little fun on his journey. If he didn't, then the stress that would weigh him down would be too great to lift. So taking place in this little tournament was not such a bad idea. "Okay," the stranger finally stated. "I'll partake in this competition. Is there an entry fee?"

"No, no, no," the barkeep retorted while shaking his head to and fro. "Anyone who wants to can enter. There's no fee to pay. All ye have to do is sign yer name here." The barkeep handed the stranger a piece of parchment with well over a dozen names scribbled on it in a rather unorganized way. He also handed him a bright red quill pen and a bottle of pitch black ink. The stranger took the quill, dunked it in the oily black liquid, and wrote down his name: Jayson I. Elleck IX.

The barkeep took the parchment, looked over the name, and nodded in agreement. "Alrighty then, Mr. Elleck. The tournament starts at noon today. You'll be notified of who yer gonna fight then."

"Thank you," the white-clad stranger known as Jayson replied. He got up from the stool and headed for the front door. He opened and disappeared out onto the front street.

/\/\/\/\

The young, blonde-haired woman, although sitting in the corner table, had overheard the conversation between the stranger cloaked in white and the bartender. She, too, had also noticed the unusual sword sheathed in a blue scabbard with curving silver markings etched on it. And that snow white cloak he was wearing certainly caught her attention. Could he be another warrior on the frantic race for Soul Edge? If so, what was his reason for doing so? Was it to obtain it or to obliterate it? Is he even that strong of a swordsman? There was only one way to find out. She had to enter this tournament herself. She stood from her seat, picked up her sword and shield, and strode over to the bar where the barkeep was standing.

"Why, hello there, lass," the barkeep said. "What can I help ye with?"

"Are there any spaces left for the competition you were talking about earlier?" the woman asked eagerly.

The barkeep was taken aback. "Well, it's not very often that we have a girl fighting in a competition," he said. "In fact, yer one of the first ones I've laid eyes on."

"Does it matter?" the woman retorted. "Anyway, there is room left, right?"

"Why, of course there is, lass," the barkeep replied. "Yer lucky, y'know. There're only three spaces left, so I think I can squeeze ye in there." He handed her the parchment with all the participants' names scribbled on it and the red, feathery quill. "Just write yer name here." The woman did so: Cassandra Alexandra.

"Alrighty, then, Miss Alexandra," the barkeep stated. "The tournament starts at noon today. You'll know who you'll fight then."

"Thanks, barkeep," the woman named Cassandra said. She then left the inn, leaving the barkeep appalled, yet at the same time confident in her.

"You'll do just fine, lass," he said to no one in particular. "I have faith in ye."

/\/\/\/\

The sun had dried up the once muddy streets, so travel in the village seemed easier. Consequentially, the streets were crowded in people as markets, smithies, and traveling merchants attracted the villagers from every which way. Thus, traveling in this sea of commoners was made considerably more difficult. On top of that, with the tournament being mere hours away, the crowds were even more condensed near the arena, which Jayson happened to pass by. The arena itself was masterfully built; each stone was placed in perfect alignment with each other and many of them were different colors, forming a circle that had a sort of runic feel to it. If only it were as beautiful as it was when it was first built; there were many nicks, scratches, scuff marks, and small amounts of blood stains from past fights scarring its tawny brown and beige surface. It was centered in a small, man-made lake, not too shallow, not too deep, and the iron bars of a collapsible cage could be seen on the sides. Two drawbridges connected the arena to the audience stands.

"I'll give credit to the guy who built this," Jayson said to no one in particular, "he did a fine job of constructing it." He then looked to the skies and saw that the sun was not quite at its highest point yet. It would still be about two hours until the tournament went underway, so he thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to just linger around for awhile. He chose a suitable spot near the audience stands. He leaned against the warm, tawny stone wall and stared at the crystal clear lake. It reminded him of the man made lake he had back in his world, yet it wasn't.

Some time after he arrived, Jayson was about to doze off into solemn slumber when he saw someone approaching him. Judging from the stiff, brown bag slung over his shoulder, he looked like a courier for the tournament, no older than fifteen. He stopped in front of Jayson.

"This is to determine who your opponent is going to be in this competition," he stated in a businesslike manner. "I'll need your name."

"Jayson," Jayson said simply. The boy started rummaging through his bag. It took a few seconds to pull out the appropriate slip of parchment, but eventually he succeeded and handed it to Jayson.

"Good luck, Mr. Jayson," the boy said before taking off. Jayson unfolded the parchment and beheld one name: Yunsung. He hummed thoughtfully at the name.

"I look forward to this…Yunsung," Jayson said.

/\/\/\/\

Cassandra looked to the sky to see that it was almost noon. She had to make it to the arena soon, otherwise she'd be disqualified! She pushed and shoved her way through the crowded streets, receiving the occasional "Hey!" and "Watch where you're going!" She ultimately made it to the arena, just as the courier boy was about to leave. She almost ran into him, but stopped herself mere inches away from him. Sure enough, the boy was caught off-guard.

"W-whoa!" he shouted as he almost toppled backwards. He caught his footing just in time.

"Oh, gods! I am so sorry!" Cassandra apologized frantically.

"D-don't worry about it," the boy said in a calming voice. "Are you another one of the participants?"

"Wait…oh, yeah!" she exclaimed. "I'm Cassandra." The boy sighed and rifled through his bag. He then pulled out a slip of parchment and handed it to Cassandra.

"Good luck, Miss Cassandra," the boy stated as he ran off. Cassandra opened the parchment and read the single name that was on it: Sebastian.

"Sebastian, huh?" she hummed. "It doesn't ring a bell…well, whatever."

/\/\/\/\

As the sun reached its highest point and stared mercilessly upon the earth, the roars of the crowd reverberated throughout the arena. The fights immediately went underway as fighters and swordsmen, amateur and professional alike, entered the arena, two at a time, and clashed their fists, swung their blades, and spilled their blood. The crowd was entertained, but Jayson was bored beyond reason; he had obviously seen better back at home. The sword swinging was half-decent, but it was lacking any special moves; they were just slashing wildly. He was about to doze off out of plain boredom when he saw that blonde-haired woman enter the arena. Jayson had a feeling she would participate, for she seemed to be a warrior of exceptional skill. He sensed great promise in her.

"Whoever you are," Jayson said in a barely audible voice. "Good luck."

/\/\/\/\

Cassandra entered the arena, taking a glance at her opponent, Sebastian. He was about thirty, that much could be said about his unkempt cinnamon beard and untidy hair. He wore no shirt, exposing his relatively muscular body that bore a few scars. The only item of clothing he wore was a pair of loose, brown pants. He held in his hand a broad sword of simple design. His vomit-colored eyes emanated no comfort. Just from the look of him, one could easily tell that he was an amateur.

"Heh, heh," the man known as Sebastian growled, "I'm gonna have fun with you." Cassandra was unimpressed.

"Ugh…you're _definitely_ not my type," Cassandra teased.

"What'd you say? Say that again!" he snapped.

"Normally I would, but I'm afraid that little pea-brain mind of yours wouldn't be able to understand," Cassandra mocked, sticking out her tongue.

"Fighters ready? FIGHT!" an announcer shouted. The fight began almost immediately as Sebastian ran towards Cassandra, rage evident in his vomit-colored eyes.

"I'M GONNA DICE YA UP!" he yelled in hysterics, his face contorted in anger. Cassandra brought up her shield in time to block a horizontal strike. The sound of metal against metal rang out through the arena as the crowd cheered wildly. Cassandra took this moment to thrust her shield forward, thus releasing it from the sword's grasp and sending it right into Sebastian's rib cage. All of the wind was knocked out of him as he was blown back a few feet. He then regained his ground and saw Cassandra trying to rush him. With a yell, he swung his sword horizontally with great force, aiming right for her neck. She jumped back half a second too late as the sword nicked at her left shoulder. The cut wasn't deep, but blood was slowly trickling out from it. When Cassandra saw this, she gave a shout of anger and ran for Sebastian again. He hefted his sword again, but was too late as Cassandra gave him a front kick to the gut, causing him to keel over while clutching his stomach in agony. This left him vulnerable to a stylish back-flip kick, which nailed him right in the jaw and sent him on his back.

"Agh! Dammit!" he managed to yell from his now-broken jaw. He got up again and charged at her, his sword high above his head. He swung his sword with a beast-like force down on top of her. At the last second, Cassandra raised her short sword above her head. That irritable clang of iron against iron sounded as the audience stared in complete awe at the scene before them. Sebastian let out a grunt and was surprised at the result of his bone-smashing downward slash; Cassandra held the blade in place with her short sword, not budging even once. Everyone was appalled at such a feat; how could a woman stop a swing so strong that it would crack the earth? Sebastian was so surprised that he had no time to react as Cassandra came in with her shield once more and struck him in the rib cage. A few unsettling cracks signaled that some of his ribs caved in. Sebastian screeched in agony as he grasped his chest, kneeling down as he did so. That was not a smart decision as Cassandra stepped to his right and saw that his leg was in perfect position for her to perform one of her nastier moves. She stabbed her sword right through his lower leg and into the ground. The crowd winced as Sebastian gave out a heart-stopping scream loud enough to wake the dead. Then Cassandra did everyone a favor by slamming her shield over his head. The resulting clang shut him up immediately, for it knocked him out cold. He collapsed to the ground with a satisfying crash. Cassandra yanked her sword from Sebastian's leg, the blood oozing down from it like oil.

"NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE…ZERO!" the announcer counted down. "MATCH OVER! CASSANDRA ALEXANDRA WINS!" The audience was eerily quiet for a moment. Yet the silence was instantaneously broken as the crowd roared in applause and approval. Some cursed their luck, for they had hefty bets placed on Sebastian. Either way, they loved Cassandra's performance in the ring.

Cassandra turned to the now-unconscious Sebastian. "That was all too easy," she taunted, even though he probably couldn't hear her. "You make me laugh." She then walked to the drawbridge and made her way to the mainland. It felt good to beat the crud out of a wannabe swordsman. She then remembered the wound he gave her and glanced over at her shoulder. Judging from the fact that the bleeding had already stopped, it wasn't anything major. She simply chose to ignore it as she walked by the audience stands, receiving compliments, congratulations, and good comments as she did. Then she came across that stranger in the white cloak, leaning up against the tawny stone wall, his face concealed within the shadows of his hood.

"I must say I am very impressed with your performance," he said as she walked by him. Cassandra stopped a few feet away from him.

"Uh…thanks," she hesitantly responded. The stranger pushed himself off the wall and brought himself face-to-face with her. Cassandra couldn't make out anything from under that hood of his; only his mouth and a few strands of blonde hair could be distinguished. "Who are you anyway? When I saw you at the inn, I couldn't take my mind off you."

"I'm Jayson," he replied. "Uh…Cassandra, right? You're quite a strong warrior for a woman."

"Heh, you have a problem with that?" she asked.

"Not at all," Jayson retorted. "Where I come from, women are just as capable at wielding a sword as men are. But from the way you handle your sword and shield…" he paused, glancing at Cassandra's sword, which was clean from blood, and at her shield, which, despite that fight, still looked like it was newly forged. "…I must say that you are an exceptional fighter."

"Good," Cassandra stated. "Because people look at me strangely, as if I were crazy or something. It unsettles me whenever they give me those stares."

"I don't think you're crazy," Jayson said. "I think the path you chose was a good one, and that you should keep following it. It's like what an old friend once told me, 'Be yourself, no matter what they say.'"

"Thanks…I guess," Cassandra said. "I'll keep that in mind." She paused to think anything else to ask him. Then the thought of Soul Edge hit her; with that cloak of his enshrouding his identity, he looked like the type who would know a lot about it. "Say," Cassandra continued, "Do you know anything about—." As if on cue, a man nudged Jayson's shoulder, signaling that it was Jayson's turn to fight.

"Well, it looks like I'm up. I better get up there," he interrupted. "Wish me luck, though with my skill, I might not need it." He whirled around to the direction of the stage, his white cloak flowing behind him. Cassandra was slightly annoyed about being interrupted and silently cursed the guy who told him it was his turn. Yet she was also dumbfounded. His skill? Was he as powerful a warrior as he claimed to be? There was only one way to know for sure, and that was to watch the fight for herself.

"Well, Jayson…whoever you are, take him down," Cassandra said to herself.

/\/\/\/\

Jayson made his way to the center of the arena to confront his opponent, Yunsung. He was a tall, well built young man of about eighteen whose skin was slightly pale. He was garbed in an assortment of whites, oranges, and blacks; the left part of his shirt was orange and had a short sleeve. It overlapped its right side, which was white and had no sleeve at all. The shirt itself stopped just at his abdomen, exposing a relatively muscular stomach. Adorning his forearms were white cuffs with orange ends and three golden orbs on each. His white, loose-fitting pants had black markings on the knees and on the ends, and they ended in black shoes. His hair was like fire, short and spiky, and his eyes were a burning red. In his hand was a curved sword with a golden base that seemed to be carved into the shape of the heads and manes of two ferocious lions. Jayson could instantly tell this was a hardened warrior who possessed a great amount of skill.

The young man known as Yunsung snorted. "Heh, so you're my opponent," he said cockily. "You don't look so tough."

"Looks can be deceiving, Yunsung," Jayson replied with a quiet laugh. "Maybe this look will change your opinion." He grabbed the scruff of his white cloak and hurled it off of him. The cloak flew across the lake boundary and landed on the mainland. Yunsung, the audience, and Cassandra took in the sight of the man under the white cloak:

He was a tall, slim young man who appeared to be no older than seventeen, his skin not too pale, nor too dark. He was garbed in a scarlet short-sleeved shirt underneath a blue vest with silver shoulder plates gleaming in the sun. Turquoise bands wrapped around his forearms, their feathery ends hanging freely. A periwinkle scarf lined in gold looped around his torso, its golden tassel end flowing like water in the wind. Tied to it was a blue sword scabbard lined in silver. Deep blue pants adorned his legs, with bright silver greaves wrapped around the shins, and ended in white boots. A sapphire, tear-shaped pendant hung on a thin, silver chain around his neck. His bright blonde hair was long and straight, and was tied into a low ponytail. His right eye was concealed by a bang of his blonde hair, but his left eye was a beautiful emerald green. Yet the two blood-red lines that scarred it somewhat tempered its beauty.

And even though nobody seemed to notice, Cassandra saw the one distinctive trait of Jayson that no one else could make out: his ears. They were long and pointed. She gasped in shock, but to her surprise, no one was staring wide-eyed, shouting, or running away. She thought this as odd; could no one see his ears but her? Deciding that shouting would arouse suspicion, she decided to keep quiet until she could confront him after the fight was over. For now, Cassandra would see what this guy can do.

"Well, Yunsung?" Jayson stated. "Does this suit you better?"

Yunsung snorted. "Somewhat. But you still don't look strong. Do you seriously want to fight me?" he replied while stretching his legs left and right.

"Don't underestimate me," Jayson said. "Doing so would be a grave mistake in your part." He then reached for the scabbard and lashed out his weapon. It was a longsword of unusual design; the blade itself was long, sleek, and had the color of quicksilver. Its deep blue base was diamond-shaped and had three golden orbs embedded on either side of it, forming a triangle. A silver piece of metal curved up from the base and snaked its way down the parchment-colored hilt, ending at a bright topaz encrusting its tip, forming some form of knuckle guard.

"Now, prepare yourself!" Jayson exclaimed as he got into a most interesting fighting stance. His sword was in his right hand, his thumb facing the end of the hilt.

"Alright, let's do this!" Yunsung shouted as he himself got into a basic fighting stance.

"Fighters ready? FIGHT!" the announcer cried. No sooner had he said those words, Jayson and Yunsung leapt into action.

/\/\/\/\

Yay! A cliffhanger! Hee…I just love leaving people in suspense, but no offense, really. Anyhoo, please Review! Friendly, and I mean _friendly_ criticism is always welcome! And no flames!

Lightpaladin;)


	3. Confrontation

L.P.: I'm back! This time, I will not let writer's block stand in my way! Yet still, I won't update frequently, so, again, bear with me, okay? And no flames, okay? Okay, Jayson, disclaim!

Jayson: Lightpaladin does not own Soul Calibur II and never will, even though he owns a copy of said game. And he does own me because I'm his OC, and if you take me, Lightpaladin WILL sue you. Got that?

L.P.: Well-spoken. Now on with the fic!

/\/\/\/\

**Angel**

**Chapter II: Confrontation**

/\/\/\/\

"Fighters ready? FIGHT!" the announcer cried. No sooner had he said those words, Jayson and Yunsung leapt into action.

Yunsung took the initiative and made a quick horizontal slash to the left. Jayson raised his sword and blocked the blow, the familiar sound of metal against metal clamoring aloud as the audience roared their approval. Jayson used the force of Yunsung's blade to step to his left side, leaving Yunsung's back vulnerable. Jayson took this opportunity to spin around and slam the flat side of his sword into Yunsung's back. Yunsung grunted in pain as he fell a few feet away from Jayson. Yet instead of falling face first, he caught his footing and stood himself up.

"Quick recovery," Jayson said.

"I must have lost balance," Yunsung retorted. He then ran for Jayson again and swung his sword vertically. Jayson held his sword horizontally and blocked the oncoming blow. Yunsung lifted his sword and swung again, but Jayson spun around, held his sword parallel to his spine and blocked the attack. Yunsung grunted and made another horizontal slash in the opposite direction. Jayson faced Yunsung again and deflected the strike, then in the instant, began spinning his sword wildly to and fro. Yunsung leapt back, observed the pattern of the sword swinging, and began blocking that pattern. Left, right, left, right, left, right, the sword kept coming at him. Then, after Jayson swung his sword to the right, he spun it around and made another right swing, throwing Yunsung off-guard as he forced himself back. He tried to retaliate, but to no avail as Jayson made an upwards vertical strike, and Yunsung was forced to guard. Jayson then spun around and thrust his sword forward. Yunsung jumped to the right, only to be greeted by another horizontal strike in that direction, which he blocked.

_Dammit, this guy's good, _Yunsung thought as a downwards slash came at him. He smirked. _Now! Disrupt! _He swung his own sword upwards so forcefully that he not only blocked the blow, but he forced Jayson's sword back, leaving him wide open for an attack…or so he thought. Yunsung swung his sword downward, looking forward to leave a large scar on Jayson's chest. But Jayson gave a smirk of his own as he used the force of his parried blow to swing his arm back and plant his sword into the ground. He then heaved his foot into Yunsung's stomach while he was still in mid-swing. All of Yunsung's breath was knocked out of him as he felt himself being lifted up from the ground. Jayson then flipped over his sword, taking Yunsung with him. Yunsung was brought to the ground hard with Jayson landing on top of him. Yunsung cried out in pain as he felt Jayson's full body weight bear down upon him. The crowd roared as Jayson withdrew his sword from the ground and back-flipped off of Yunsung.

"I must admit, you read my moves well," Jayson said, "until my 'Angel of Whim' kick. Now get up. I'm getting bored." Yunsung did more than get up. He threw himself up and right at Jayson and performed a solid vertical strike. Jayson jumped backwards and avoided the blow successfully. _He has greater endurance than I expected, _he thought. _Oh well. That makes the fight more interesting. _He smiled as Yunsung made a horizontal strike, which he blocked. Then Yunsung came at him with another horizontal strike. Jayson raised his sword, expecting to block it, but then he felt Yunsung's free hand grasp Jayson's wrist. Yunsung then spun around, jumped, and, using his sword hand, lifted himself up in such a way that he was doing a handstand on top of Jayson, but only for a second. Yunsung then pushed himself to the side, plowing both feet into Jayson's stomach. Jayson felt all of his breath being forced out of him as Yunsung fell to the ground, still grasping Jayson and lifting him off of his feet. Yunsung used the momentum to his advantage and drove Jayson to the ground, and then landed on top of him, forcing all of his body weight on him. He then back-flipped off of him.

"How's that?" Yunsung said cockily. "Like they say: an eye for an eye." Jayson groaned in pain as he forced himself up to his feet and faced Yunsung.

"Not bad," Jayson replied, "though I've been through worse." _This guy's getting too cocky for his own good. I better finish this soon._ "Now it's time I took this seriously." Jayson then did something unexpected; he sheathed his sword and crouched into a stance in which he looked like he was ready to unsheathe if anything got too close. Everyone was perplexed as to what he was doing.

_What the hell is this guy up to? _Yunsung thought. He just stared as Jayson stood still in that position.

"Come," Jayson spoke, a hint of darkness present in his voice. "If you want to see what I am capable of, then I dare you to attack me, unless you're a coward."

Yunsung's left eye twitched; it was an obvious sign that he was enraged. "What…did you…just…say?" he asked slowly and venomously.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Jayson taunted, never moving from his stance. "Perhaps I should rephrase that: attack me _now_, child."

Something snapped in Yunsung. _This bastard's got some nerve! First it's coward, now it's child! Nobody ever calls me those names and lives to tell about it!_ Those thoughts ran like a raging rapid in Yunsung's mind as he clenched his fist to the point that it bled. He then swung his sword back and yelled, "DIE!" at the top of his lungs. Jayson noticed that fire started to build up in Yunsung's sword.

_That's no ordinary blaze, _he thought, _it's the fire of pure will. I can sense his undying craze to defeat me. I never knew that a warrior such as him was capable of such a feat. Still…that won't help him._ He then saw Yunsung strike his sword against the ground. Yunsung used the force of the blow to propel him higher, enabling him to perform a flip, all while leaving a spectacular tail of flames in his wake. Despite the fact that Yunsung homed in on him, Jayson never budged from his stance. _I have to time this right. Even though he's annoyingly egotistical, I can't afford to kill him. Wait for it, wait for it…_

"_FIRE STORM!_" Yunsung yelled as the impending attacked came down upon Jayson at an alarming rate. Time itself seemed to slow down as the blow came closer and closer to striking its target. Then, Jayson saw an opening present in Yunsung's chest, and that he was almost at the right distance for the awesome timing of what was to come.

_Now! _"_ANGEL'S JUDGEMENT!_" Jayson yelled while lashing his sword out at such a speed that one could call it godly, performing a lightning-fast diagonal strike to the left. Yunsung stopped in midair. The fire from his sword had been extinguished. He then fell to his feet, shocked at what Jayson performed. Blood began to slowly eke out of his chest as he saw a long, thin red line run diagonally from the left side of his waist to his right shoulder.

"S-so…f-fast…ugh," Yunsung muttered in shock as he fell to his knees. _That's impossible! No one's ever countered my Fire Storm attack! But he did it with just one swing! Just who the hell is this guy? _he thought as he fell on his back with a satisfying thump.

"YUNSUNG HAS BEEN WOUNDED! FIGHT OVER! JAYSON WINS!" the announcer yelled. The crowd roared excitedly in approval of Jayson's astonishing victory. Jayson took a look at his sword and smiled; only the tip had pierced Yunsung's flesh, judging from the small amount of blood on it. _Perfect timing_, he thought. He then looked at Yunsung with some degree of pity.

"You're lucky that the cut isn't deep," Jayson spoke. "Had I attacked later, your death would have been imminent." He then turned around and sheathed his sword. "Please wait here while a doctor is called," he said before leaping across the moat to the main base of the arena. The crowd was still cheering wildly as Jayson picked up his white cloak and slid it over himself, the hood hiding his identity once more.

/\/\/\/\

Cassandra was astonished by Jayson's skill. The way he handled his sword, the way he moved his body...it almost seemed like he was dancing. And the way he executed that last move so perfectly…she concluded that he was no ordinary warrior. His long, pointed ears had especially gotten her attention, for she knew that was not normal. She also found it strange that no one but her noticed them in the first place. _Just who or what is this guy? _she thought. _He seemed nice enough…I mean, he _did _congratulate me after my fight. Oh well, I guess I'll find out for myself._ She then saw the white-cloaked Jayson leave the arena. Setting her goal as to find out more about him, Cassandra followed quietly behind him, keeping a good distance from him.

She followed him until they were halfway from the inn. At that point, Cassandra ducked behind one of the buildings to a side street, and from there, she raced back to the inn in only half a minute's time. She then headed to the front entrance, taking a glance down the main street in order to catch sight of him. Seeing that he was still quite a ways away from here, she then entered the inn and searched her brown belt for her key. Finding it exactly where she had put it, she strode to her room door and unlocked it. Judging from where he stayed last night, Cassandra noticed that he had to walk by this door in order to get to his own. So, she hid behind her door, waiting until he walked by so that she could confront him.

/\/\/\/\

_Well, _thought Jayson as he strode towards the inn, _that was quite fun. That Yunsung guy put up a fight. Also helped to relieve some of my stress. _True enough, ever since those unfortunate past occurrences, he had been under more stress than he usually was. Fighting was one of the few yet effective ways he could lessen its weight on him. He couldn't let his losses blind him for why he was on this quest at all. _What's done is done, _he thought, _and the past cannot be changed. _A slight frown played upon his face as he made his way past busy villagers and towards the inn.

Upon arrival, he let himself in and trotted to the hall where his room was located. _I could use a nap anyway_, he thought as he walked down the long hallway. About halfway down, he suddenly felt something grab his cloak. He turned to see a slender, white-gloved hand firmly gripping the cloak and tugging him into the open door where it was poking out of. "Whoa!" _No such luck_. He felt himself being pulled into a room with enough force to almost make him topple. His instincts told him immediately; _if something grabs you, take it down_. As a reflex, he broke free of the grasp and spun around to face his ambusher…

…only to realize that the ambusher was that Cassandra woman from earlier. His visible eye went wide, and he stopped himself from lashing out his sword almost as soon as he laid his hand on it.

Taking a deep breath, he said in a mock-cocky tone, "You really shouldn't be doing that. You never know who you'll drag in."

"Well, it seems I've dragged in the right person, haven't I?" Cassandra said.

"Whatever do you mean by that?" Jayson asked.

"I was hoping you could explain a few things to me," she replied.

"Such as…?"

"A few things. First off…," Cassandra grabbed the hood of his cloak and pulled it off his head, revealing blonde hair, a scarred green eye…and two long pointed ears, one of which had three blue earrings piercing it. "…your ears."

"What about them?" Jayson asked innocently.

"Don't play dumb with me," Cassandra said hotly. She then reached down without warning and pinched his left ear at its tip. Needless to say, Jayson felt the sting, for her grip was tight.

"Yow!" he cried while she released her grip. "That hurt!"

"See? I knew it!" Cassandra exclaimed. "Now, who or what are you?"

Jayson sighed. _If she can see my ears_, he thought, _then she must have a very strong will to go against Soul Edge, too. Perhaps she would make a good acquaintance. For now, however, let's see how this turns out. _"I guess the secret's out," he replied.

"What secret?" Cassandra asked.

"The fact that you can actually see my ears," he replied.

"What? Am I not supposed to see them?" she inquired.

"Actually, only those who share the same goal as I do can see them," Jayson said.

Cassandra blinked; the same goal? She wondered what he meant by that. Then she remembered Soul Edge; could that be his target? She feared to ask, but she had to. "You're searching for Soul Edge, aren't you?" she asked somewhat cryptically.

Jayson nodded. "That I am," he replied. He then reached down his blue vest and slowly pulled out a shard of red and black metal.

Cassandra felt it pulse with an evil aura, the same aura that the shard she possessed emanated. _No way_, she thought. _He has a piece of Soul Edge, too. That must mean he's searching for it. Can I…actually trust him? No…I don't even know anything about him. The ears are kinda cute, though…wait, what am I thinking?_ "Are you serious?" she asked.

"I'm dead serious," Jayson replied as he put away the metal shard.

"But why are you after it?" Cassandra asked. "If you really are, then you should know that Soul Edge is vile and manipulative. It also takes souls and uses them to its own evil ends."

"Exactly," Jayson said. "That is why it must be destroyed."

Cassandra hesitated for a moment. She hadn't expected a response like that one. Most others she had asked described it as a "Sword of Salvation" or "Heroes' Sword" that would give its wielder great power. Yet this guy was different; he seemed to actually _know _what Soul Edge was capable of. But how did he know that Soul Edge was evil? _This guy might be useful, but I can't be too sure. Just go with the flow, Cassandra. _"That doesn't answer my question," she said sternly.

"Personal reasons," he replied simply. "Let's leave it at that." He looked at Cassandra and studied her, his bright, emerald eye piercing into her bright blue ones. _Her will is strong, _he thought. _I can sense it. Something is driving her to destroy Soul Edge, but I can't tell what it is. Maybe I can trust her, but can she trust me? _"Perhaps you can help me out."

"In what way?" Cassandra asked.

"You see, I don't know this place very well," he replied, "and I've only been here for two days. I'm afraid that if I go on alone, I may become…well, lost, and that would be a great hindrance to my quest. I'm in need of a guide." He stared at Cassandra again, but with less intensity. "Will you be willing to aid me? After all, we both share the same goal."

"Well, how can I know whether I can trust you or not?" she asked intently. "I mean, you _are _a great swordsman and all, but I don't even know you that well."

"You can trust me. I'm a man of my word," Jayson replied. He then flashed a smile at her. Cassandra was taken aback; she had never seen a smile like that one before. It looked so peaceful and sincere that it could bring even the most troubled of souls at ease. She could instantly tell from that smile that he was being honest. She couldn't see any sign that he could deceive her somehow. Most of her doubts about him were washed away, yet some of them still remained in her head, such as what his "personal reasons" were for going after Soul Edge in the first place, and, well, his long, pointed ears. Still, she felt like she could trust him.

"Okay," she said calmly. "I'll be your guide…at least for a little while. One question, though: why _do _your ears look the way they are?"

He smiled again. "It's a long story. It'd be best if I save it for the road." He then turned to the door leading to the hall. "Now if you'll excuse me, I shall take a nap. See you tomorrow." He then left the room, closing the door behind him.

Cassandra collapsed onto the bed. _This is crazy, _she thought. _I just met some incredible swordsman who's out to destroy Soul Edge. And I just agreed to help him find it. On top of that, he has strange ears. I wonder…is he even from here? And why is he even after Soul Edge, anyway? Hmm…maybe he can help me find Sophitia. I don't know. _"Okay, Cassandra," she told herself, "you need to relax. It's been a long day." She then closed her eyes and dreamed about Athens.

/\/\/\/\

_We are inclined to believe those whom we do not know because they never deceived us._

Samuel Johnson, "The Idler"

/\/\/\/\

And that concludes Chapter III. Remember to Read and Review! And no flames!

Lightpaladin;)


	4. Embarkation

L.P.: Hi, all! Another chapter's heading this way! Take that, writer's block! Jayson, disclaim!

Jayson: We all know the story. Lightpaladin does not own Soul Calibur II, Namco does. But he does own me, so if you take me, or even intend to, you WILL be sued! Got that?

Good, good. Now on with the fic!

/\/\/\/\

**Angel**

**Chapter III: Embarkation **

/\/\/\/\

The same nightmare had been plaguing Cassandra ever since she left her home on her journey. And now, she was having it again.

She was standing in part of the ruins of what appeared to be a huge castle. The sound of a giant bell resonated throughout the ruins. The air around her was frigid, but nowhere near as cold as the Hephaestus shrine back home. Sword and shield in hand, she walked through the ruins, uncertain of where she was going. Soon, she came to what looked like part of a two-floor church with part of the first floor's ceiling decimated, revealing part of the second floor. She looked up to that second floor, feeling called to something up there. She then looked to her right at the four tall pillars standing against what was left of the wall across the second-story ledge. She scaled one of the pillars, using her sword and shield as support. After what seemed like an eternity of climbing, Cassandra finally reached a jutting ledge next to the pillar.

From this ledge, Cassandra saw several other ledges lining this wall and the wall connecting it. She turned and saw the second floor. Its floors were stone grey with beige lines, and the three walls were set with stained glass images of unfamiliar warriors, with the left wall's images shattered. The center wall's stained glass was the most prominent, with a giant circle adorning the top and four warriors lining the bottom. In front of that image was a female person with long blonde hair. Cassandra recognized her immediately; it was her older sister, Sophitia! After a few careful jumps, she made it to the second floor and ran up to her.

"Sis?" she asked. "What are you doing here?" The woman known as Sophitia turned around, her azure eyes meeting Cassandra's own.

"I realized that…," Sophitia replied as she drew her sword and shield and got into a battle stance, "…I have to deal with this." Cassandra was shocked; her own sister was about to fight her just so she could destroy Soul Edge herself. She knew that it had to be destroyed, but after two journeys, Cassandra just couldn't let her sister bear that burden any longer.

"Sophitia…," Cassandra said after hesitantly getting into a fighting stance of her own. The bell tolled once more. They lunged for each other.

Cassandra couldn't remember well the fight that followed; it was all a blur. But then Sophitia stabbed Cassandra through the stomach. Blood slowly flowed out of her like a broken hourglass as she felt Sophitia withdraw the sword from her flesh.

"Go home," Sophitia said. "Everyone is worried about you. It's okay, Cassie. I'm just doing this of my own free will. I just can't let Soul Edge take the lives of those who I love. I want you to be safe, Cassie. Is that too much to ask for?" She then stepped back, and as she did, the surrounding area changed. They were no longer in the ruins of the castle; they were in a dark, barren wasteland surrounded by black mountains. They were standing on hardened lava segmented by thin lines of fiery liquid. A raging inferno began to build up around them.

"No, sis!" Cassandra yelled in agony, clutching her wounded stomach, tears forming in her azure eyes. "Don't go!"

"If I don't come out of this alive," Sophitia said, taking another step back, "watch over my family for me." She smiled, a single tear shimmering on her face. "Goodbye, little sis." She turned and faced the inferno. Then, sword and shield at the ready, she launched herself into it, her body consumed by hellfire.

"NOOO!" Cassandra screamed in anguish as tears started to flow from her eyes. She then saw a sword in front of her. It was a huge, grotesque blade that was made more of carnage and blood than metal. A fiery, evil eye opened in the center of the blade and stared right at her, and then everything went black.

/\/\/\/\

Cassandra jolted upright in her bed, covered in sweat. She breathed in and out heavily and touched her stomach, relieved that there was no wound there. She looked out the window and saw that it was still dark outside. She expelled a heavy sigh. _Why do I keep having this dream? _Cassandra wondered. _What does it mean?_ She was too exhausted to think, for she lay back down and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

/\/\/\/\

Daylight came in almost no time at all. Jayson rose from his bed and emanated a yawn, a tear welling up in his eye as he did so. Wiping it away, he donned his vest, greaves, arm wraps, boots, and sword. After tying his hair back into a low ponytail, he then hefted his small pack and headed out of the room, taking care to lock the door behind him.

By the time he got to the tavern part of the inn, Cassandra was already there, sitting at one of the corner tables.

"About time you woke up," she said as he approached the table. "Just how long do you sleep?"

"Depends," Jayson replied. "How long _did _I sleep?"

"I've been waiting out here for an hour," Cassandra replied as she handed him a plate with eggs and bread.

"Hmm, so ten hours, then? That was long," he said as he dug in.

"It was," she said.

"So, do you know where the next town is?" Jayson asked between bites.

"Depends on what direction you're heading," Cassandra replied. "If you travel west, you'll find the town of Thuban. Go east and you'll see Benetnasch."

"I see," Jayson hummed thoughtfully. "Well, I'm heading east, so you know, and I was wondering—."

"East is same direction I'm traveling," Cassandra interrupted, "so no, it won't be any trouble for me."

"Alright," he replied. As soon as he finished his food, Jayson stood up. "Shall we go?"

"Fine with me," she answered. She rose from her seat, lifting up her own backpack, which had her sword and shield strapped to it. Jayson flashed a smile towards her, and they made their way to the front counter, where the barkeep was washing away the countertop. He looked up to then, his auburn eyes meeting theirs.

"Ah, leavin' together, eh?" he asked.

"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, then you've got another thing coming, barkeep," Cassandra shot.

"No, no, no, ye have it all wrong," the barkeep said, holding his hands up. "I saw both o' yer fights yesterday, and it was the first time in my twenty years of not fighting that I was impressed."

"You were a swordsman, too?" Cassandra asked, stupefied.

"Indeed," the barkeep replied.

"So age took the better of you, huh?" Jayson said.

"Yep, I'm 68 and I'm not gettin' any younger," the barkeep sighed. "Fightin' was all that I had, and time took it away from me. And I was a damn good one, too. I fought ever since I was a lil' boy. But now, I have no regrets, cuz I put that skill o' mine to good use. Don't waste yer abilities. Make good use of them."

"We will indeed," Jayson said, smiling.

"Okay," Cassandra said, moved by his words.

"Alrighty, then," the barkeep said, "I shall bid ye farewell. May yer journey be a fulfillin' and safe one." Jayson flashed another one of those peaceful smiles the barkeep's way. Then, in the next moment, they were out the door and onto the crowded streets.

/\/\/\/\

The sun was near its highest point a couple of hours after Cassandra and Jayson left the village. The air was warm, yet a northerly breeze offered comfort from the warmth. The occasional cloud temporarily blotted out the sun, but it went as quickly as it came.

As soon as they were on top of a gently rolling hill, Cassandra saw fit to begin speaking:

"Okay, so we're on the road and all," she started.

"So?" Jayson asked in a friendly way.

"So, maybe now you can tell me why your ears look the way they are," she replied.

_She probably won't believe me, _Jayson thought, _but if I don't tell her, she'll probably keep bothering me until I do. Hmm…let's give it a try. _"You probably won't believe me if I told you," he said.

"Try me," she replied somewhat indignantly.

_Well, damn. Oh well. I might as well tell her._ "If you insist," Jayson replied. "But let's rest for awhile." He took his backpack off his shoulders and sat down into a cross-legged position. Cassandra, seeing that it was almost noon anyway, sat down on the green grass as well. Jayson took out a canteen of water and took a swig of it, quenching his thirst almost immediately.

"Let's see…where to begin…," Jayson hummed thoughtfully. "Ah yes. The reason why my ears are long and pointy is because I'm not of this world."

"You're not?" Cassandra said. "Then where _are _you from?"

"My world is called Valorius," Jayson explained. "It exists far away from this world, and coexists with two other worlds, named Zooman and Healius. My world is peaceful and serene, with some people even stranger-looking than myself. I'm not really sure how else to describe it, but Valorius is what you would call 'not perfect, but not bad either.'"

"You don't have to go into further detail if you don't want to," Cassandra said. "I just wanted to know if you were from this place or not. Now that I know, your ears don't bother me anymore." _And they _do _look kinda cute on him…hey, wait, why am I thinking this? Keep it off your mind, Cassandra. _

"I'm surprised that you're taking this rather well," Jayson replied.

"Yeah," was all Cassandra said. She then paused for a moment. "So why are you going after Soul Edge, anyway? Why did you come all the way to this world to destroy it?"

Jayson hesitated. Then he replied, "I'm rather uncomfortable speaking about it right now. Maybe some other time."

"Well, you can't keep secrets from me forever," Cassandra said. "You better tell me sooner or later."

"Probably later," Jayson chuckled. Then he asked, "Where are you from Cassandra?"

"Where I'm from? I never had anyone ask me that before," Cassandra replied. "I'm from a place called Athens, which is in a country called Greece. It's southwest of here."

"Interesting," Jayson said. "Tell me more."

"Why should I?" Cassandra asked.

"I'm curious," he replied with an innocent smile planted on his face.

"Well, alright," she said. "It's a large city. Very large. There are many statues portraying our gods and goddesses."

"How many do you worship?" he asked.

"Well, let's see," Cassandra hummed. After a long pause, she replied, "There are twenty-one gods and goddesses that I know of."

"Wow," Jayson said. "Your religion must be vast."

"It is," Cassandra replied. "But some families worship only a few of them more often than others."

"Which do you worship?" Jayson asked.

"Oh, I worship Hephaestus, the god of fire and forge, the blacksmith of the gods," she replied. "I was told that this sword and shield," she held up her short sword and small shield, "were forged by ore blessed by him."

"Interesting," Jayson said. "Do they have names?"

"They do. Omega Sword and Nemea Shield," she replied.

"Those are good names," he said.

"Yeah, though I didn't name them," she replied. "I've been learning how to fight with a sword and shield since I was young, and I took these before I started my journey for Soul Edge."

"I see," Jayson said. "Hmm, I think I started wielding a sword when I was about six or so."

"And when did you get that sword?" Cassandra asked, pointing to the oddly-designed sword at Jayson's waist. "I've never seen anything like it before."

"Oh, this?" Jayson said, drawing it out of its sheath. "I don't remember, exactly." He caressed the sleek, shimmering blade.

"Does it have a name?" she asked.

"Yep. It's called the Trinity Sword," he replied.

"I see," Cassandra said. "And what do those three orbs mean?"

"How should I explain it," Jayson muttered. "Oh yes, they represent the three great gods of my world. They are Vajora, the god of creatures and valor, Skyefyre, the god of nature and faith, and Slayoro, the god of earth and spirit. They watch over Valorius somewhere in the heavens."

"It must be a very sacred sword," Cassandra said with interest.

"It is," he said. "I'm the only one who can wield it."

"Why's that?"

"Well, if anyone tries to even touch it, a surge of magic burns his hand," Jayson replied. "But if I wanted someone to wield it, it doesn't harm him." He then placed the Trinity Sword in front of her. "Go ahead. Try picking it up."

"Um…okay," Cassandra said rather hesitantly. She reached out slowly towards the hilt of the sword. She was cautious at first, for she did not want to be hit by this "magic" he was talking about. She bit her lip, closed her eyes, and grasped the parchment-colored hilt of the sword. She waited for a reaction. After about five seconds, nothing happened. She opened her eyes and saw her hand wrapped around the hilt.

"See? What'd I tell you?" Jayson smirked. Cassandra picked up the blade, and was surprised to find it no heavier than her own sword.

"It's so light," she said as she stood up and swung the Trinity Sword with ease. She then moved her hand towards the oddly-shaped knuckle guard. Jayson's eye went wide.

"Ah! Don't touch the edge of it!" he exclaimed. "I forgot to tell you; that knuckle guard also acts as a blade, and it's razor-sharp. So is the entire side of the blade it's on." Cassandra's hand stopped mere fractions of an inch away from the knuckle guard.

"Oh, it is?" she said. "Well, thanks for the warning. Why is it there, anyway?"

"It's there as a defensive measure," he replied. "It's also used for knocking opponents off-guard."

"I see," Cassandra said. After swinging the Trinity Sword a few more times, she handed it to Jayson. "This is a nice sword."

"It is," Jayson said after he slid it back into its scabbard. He then stood up. "Shall we continue?"

"Sure," Cassandra said as she stood, pack in hand.

"Alright, then," Jayson said with enthusiasm. "Let's get go—ACK!" His foot lodged itself into a small ditch, causing him to fall face first onto the ground. The sudden forward momentum then caused him to tumble down the hill, grunting all the while. He didn't stop until he hit the bottom of the hill some eighty feet down. He then slowly lifted himself up to his feet, brushed some dirt off his clothes and hair, and, waving to Cassandra, yelled, "I'm okay!"

Cassandra stared at him in confusion. The next moment, she chuckled to herself as she carefully made her way down the hill. _He sure is a mystery, _she thought.

As Jayson straightened out his hair, he sighed and thought to himself, _I have a feeling that this is going to be a long journey. _He then turned to Cassandra and smiled.

/\/\/\/\

Okay, this was a kind of sappy and sucky chapter, but I didn't know what else to do. The next chapter is going to be much better. Anyhoo, please Review! And no flames!

Lightpaladin;)


	5. Revelation

Hello all! Here's another chapter of my fic! Jayson, disclaim!

Jayson: Do I have to?

Yes you do! Otherwise I might get sued! And if I'm sued, _you're _sued, too!

Jayson: Oh, all right. Lightpaladin does not own Soul Calibur II or any of its characters and never will. However, since I'm his OC, he owns me, so don't even think about taking me, otherwise you WILL be sued! Got that?

That's better. Now on with the fic!

/\/\/\/\

**Angel**

**Chapter IV: Revelation**

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The sun was nearly on the edge of the western horizon as Jayson and Cassandra continued to journey east. They had traveled across more gently rolling hills with the occasional flatland here and there. Soon they stopped on what seemed like the highest of hills, which had a spectacular view of the eastern horizon.

They had been rather quiet since Jayson's little fall, and neither of them knew why. After looking back at the sun, Jayson broke the silence. "Let's stop and make camp here for tonight," he said while taking off his backpack. Cassandra did the same. "Man, traveling for a long time is sure to leave someone stiff," he said while stretching out his arms. He then place both hands on his lower back and bent backwards, a few popping sounds emitting as he did so. "Ooh, that felt good," he sighed. He then turned to Cassandra, who had a look of confusion in her azure eyes. "What? It helps to loosen the muscles."

"Whatever," she replied. _He seems so carefree. It's actually kinda hard to believe that he's going after Soul Edge. Why is he so uncomfortable talking about his reasons? Hmm…I wonder if he'll talk now. _"It's been awhile since we talked. Are you ready to tell me why you're after Soul Edge? Please?"

There was a solemn look in Jayson's eye, but he gave a small laugh. "Well, since you said 'please', then…yes, I might as well tell you. Have a seat," he replied as he sat into a cross-legged position. Cassandra hesitated for a small moment, and then sat on the soft, green grass.

"The reason that I came to this world is to find Soul Edge and destroy it. It resurrected a powerful demon into my world."

"A demon?" Cassandra said in shock. "I thought they were just myths."

"They exist, all right," Jayson replied. "This particular demon, who went by the name of Otashingo, was very powerful. About a thousand years ago, he was running amok in my world, smiting all things good and lawful. He was so evil and vile; he wiped out entire races. Since his goal was to change the world to his desires, he brought about the extinction of a key race whose duty was to protect the peace. He then went on to become a demigod, a ruler of all things evil and chaotic. Otashingo ruled by fear, for if anyone disobeyed him in any way, shape, or form, they were put to death.

"So the gods searched for a potential individual who would seal away the evil demon. They eventually found one who was of the peacekeeping race that Otashingo thought he wiped out. This individual was near death of the sickness that the demon placed upon him and his race, so they cured him of it. They appeared to him as members of different races and told him what he must do. No form of attack could harm Otashingo except for one thing: pure light itself. So the gods bestowed upon the individual a sword forged out of pure holy light and sent him into battle. With this legendary blade, dubbed the Paladin Sword, the individual slew the demon Otashingo with one thrust. The holy power was too much for the demon to handle, and he was sealed in the gap between dimensions."

"Whoa," Cassandra said in awe. "That's some legend."

"Yeah," Jayson replied. "What makes it even more believable is that this individual was one of my ancestors."

"Really? No way, now I know you're lying to me."

"I'm serious. His name was Jayson I. I am Jayson IX," he said simply. "So my bloodline traces back quite a ways. I am the descendant of a legendary Valorian hero.

"Anyway, everything was fine for well over a thousand years. Everyone thought that peace and law would reign for the longest time. That is, until the demon was resurrected." Jayson slowly pulled the red and black metal shard out of his vest. It continued to pulse with a malevolent aura. "How this came into my world, I may never know, but it somehow tapped into the seal and destroyed it, thus releasing the demon Otashingo into my world. I knew his intentions right when I laid my eye on him; he wanted revenge for what my ancestor did to him. And this cursed piece of metal gave him unimaginable powers. He killed…and killed."

"Who…did he kill?" Cassandra asked slowly.

Jayson's free hand clenched into a fist. Then he replied with sad bitterness, "He killed eleven of my closest friends. And…," he paused, trying hard to hold back a tear. "…he killed my mother."

Cassandra's eyes went wide. "He…he killed your mother?"

Now Jayson's emerald eye glistened with a tear as he turned his gaze away from her. "And it was the first time in my life that I felt true anger…"

/\/\/\/\

_Blood…that was all he smelled. Jayson stood aghast at the scene before him. All twelve of his disciples lay in puddles of blood. One, he sensed, was barely clinging on to life; the others were dead. The bodies were scattered unceremoniously in the vast garden, its flowers painted red. _

_Otashingo, lord of the serpent demons and god of black fire, stood in front of the grand fountain that marked the center. His reddish-tan body was lean and muscular, but the most disturbing feature of him was his lack of legs; a giant, muscular tail about twenty feet long sprouted from his waist and ended in a black, curved, bony point split into two lopsided ends. Black writing of an unintelligible language tattooed most of his body. Pale, bony spikes protruded from his shoulders and forearms. His hair was an oily black and reached to his shoulders, and his slit eyes were a piercing yellow. In one of his clawed hands was a sword of unusual design; the hilt, which ended in a blood-red ruby, was wrapped in red and black, and the metal base was shaped somewhat similar to that of a minotaur's skull. The wavelike blade was stained red with blood. _

_And hanging from a black chain around his neck was a red and black shard of metal, which seemed to pulse with an evil of its own. _

_Jayson, already terribly wounded in the battle against Otashingo, went pale as he saw who the demon had in his other hand; Jayson's mother. Her pale blonde hair fell to her shoulders and her jaded eyes were dilated. Otashingo was holding her by the neck and had already delivered the thrust to her heart. Jayson could not believe it; he was too late in stopping the demon from killing one of his loved ones and his friends. Tears stung his eye as Otashingo tossed her lifeless body aside like a rag doll. _

_Rage slowly, gradually ignited a small spark in Jayson as he spoke. "Why? This battle was just between you and me. Why get them involved? They did nothing to you!"_

_Not a degree of pity could be seen in Otashingo's eyes. "Simple," he said in a dark, venomous voice. "There is no better way to make one suffer than to kill off his loved ones. Your pathetic mother wasn't the first…and I'll guarantee she won't be the last. Even if you do kill me…which, of course, you won't…you will live with the fact that you couldn't protect the ones you love. There is no kind of suffering I enjoy causing more than that." He then grasped the shard he was wearing. "And thanks to this piece of metal, I can continue doing so until my satisfaction is met." He then began to laugh._

_Now this sadness that had once enveloped Jayson completely dissipated. The tiny, white-hot flame turned into a raging inferno within him. He clenched his fist to the point that it bled and his body slowly trembled with anger._

_And in the next instant, he was gone. Otashingo was sure that his eyes weren't deceiving him; where did he go? A blast of wind suddenly blew at him, but Otashingo was hardly fazed by it. He turned around, and there stood Jayson, the Trinity Sword in his outstretched hand. Otashingo then felt a tingling sensation in his right shoulder. He looked over and saw that the spike protruding from his shoulder was sliced off cleanly, leaving only a stump. _

_Jayson turned and pointed his sword at the demon. A feral gleam could be seen in his tear-struck eye. "Next, I'll make your head fly," he growled in a demonic voice unlike his own. _

_Otashingo's look of surprise changed into one of satisfaction. "You've finally taken the bait," he said simply, moving into his fighting stance. "There is no foe easier to kill than an enraged one." _

"_Shut up," Jayson snarled. They lunged for each other with nothing but blood on their minds._

_The fight that ensued could only be described as hell. The clash of metal against metal dominated the night. The once-beautiful earth became scarred with craters shaped from the impact of their bodies occasionally slamming into the ground. Blasts of light and darkness set the surrounding forest alight with white and black fire, the thick smoke blotting out the full moon and making the night even darker. This destruction went on for eternity, it seemed. Wherever they fought, they destroyed like spawns of Hell. Jayson had nothing but burning rage fueling him, and Otashingo seemed to be enjoying every minute, every second of it. They didn't care who intervened; they just wanted to kill._

_The battle, which went on for an hour, reached its climax on the top of a nearby mountain's flat summit. The both of them were severely wounded; they couldn't go on for much longer. It seemed inevitable; the next strike would decide the outcome. _

"_I grow bored," Otashingo said tiredly. "What do you say we end this?"_

"_I couldn't agree more," Jayson exhaled, wiping blood from his mouth. They assumed their stances and just waited for the other to make a move. After what seemed like a thousand years, they sprang at each other at blinding speed. The final clash was heard. Otashingo swung his blade at Jayson's blade so hard it actually embedded itself an inch inward. Cracks could be seen eking their way along the blade. Otashingo gave a wry smile and withdrew his sword. He had succeeded in destroying Jayson's sword…or so he thought._

"_It is over," Otashingo said. "Your weapon is useless. You have lost." _

_Jayson stared at his broken blade. As soon as his reflection caught the cracked surface, time itself seemed to stop. He looked back at the trail of destruction that he and his opponent have caused. His rage suddenly died, and his face showed solemnity. All of his rage was meaningless, only to see to it that his mother and disciples were avenged. He saw that the motivation was right, but how he went about doing it was wrong. His lust for vengeance only hurt other people. He resolved to finish Otashingo off right now, and since his blade was broken, he knew exactly how to do it. **Should this blade suffer enough as to crack, the holy light shall arise and shine in that darkness**…as those words rang in his head, he realized that this was the key to victory. History was about to repeat itself…_

_Jayson gave a small chuckle. Otashingo looked quizzically at Jayson. "Laughing at your impeding death? I'm surprised," Otashingo said. "Or are you glad that you will join your pathetic friends and mother in eternal slumber?"_

_Jayson laughed again as a thin light outlined his body. "I'm afraid you've misunderstood. Do you remember how you were sealed away the last time you slithered in this world?" Otashingo said nothing. "No? A thousand years of imprisonment certainly took their toll on you. Allow me to refresh your memory." He then levitated into the air, and as he did, the light outlining him became brighter. In a voice that rivaled that of the gods, he spoke, "**Spawn from the abyss, your reign ends today. Light shall shine once again and set all things into balance. As punishment for your sins, I now banish you to the gap between dimensions!**" _

_Otashingo paused; he had heard those words before. It was Jayson I who had spoken those words before he delivered the thrust that sealed him. The light shined ever brighter until it engulfed Jayson's body completely, turning night into day, and forcing Otashingo to shield his eyes. The light dimmed just a little for him to see the figure before him. When he saw it, his snakelike eyes grew wide in terror; the figure resembled Jayson I in every shape, form, and color, save the two scars on its left eye._

_That was the last thing he ever saw…_

/\/\/\/\

"And when I woke up, I learned that I had been sleeping for fifteen days and nights," Jayson continued in a somewhat broken voice. "Then I learned that my mother and eleven of my friends were truly dead." A single tear fell from his scarred eye. "I buried them myself. Yet I couldn't forgive myself for not being able to protect them. I miss my friends…and I miss my mother the most. One look from her jade eyes could bring even the most upset of people to comfort. They…they said I have her eyes. They called her gaze the "Eye of the Storm." Heh…I could really use one right now.

"Anyway, I found this shard and talked to the gods about it. That's how I now know about Soul Edge. I found it rather difficult to believe that something this small could bring back a demon as powerful as Otashingo. So I made the decision to come to this world and destroy it, even if it meant I never returned. If I couldn't protect my loved ones, then the least I would be able to do would be to make sure that they can rest in peace. Destroying Soul Edge was the only key to ensuring that. And now, here I am."

Cassandra just sat there, taking in everything that Jayson had said. His story was so incredible and so sad that she didn't know what to say. But now she understood why Jayson didn't want to talk about it at first: he was still recovering from these events that he spoke of. She could actually feel his sorrow. A look of pity could be seen in her eyes. "I'm…sorry, Jayson," she managed to say.

"Don't worry about it," Jayson replied as he wiped the tears from his eye. "What's done is done. Even I cannot change the past, and the flow of time does not offer 'what ifs'. But I can take a little bit of the past with me, and I can use it to build a brighter future." A smile returned on his face as he looked back west. "That's a beautiful sunset," he said, and indeed it was. The sun was resting far on the western horizon, casting hues of red, orange, and violet on the surrounding sky. The farther out it went, the deeper blue it became, and the first few stars began to dot the dark indigo sky to the east. The long clouds glowed orange, adding to the beauty of the horizon. "It's times like this that I tend to think about the future, what awaits me the next day."

"Really?" Cassandra asked, turning towards the sunset. "And what do you think is in store for us tomorrow?"

Jayson heaved a sigh. "Perhaps another hard day of traveling awaits us. And I have this nagging feeling that we're not the only ones after Soul Edge. Then again, it's only a feeling."

Little did he know that this "feeling" was actually the cold, hard truth.

/\/\/\/\

"_Even God cannot change the past"_

Agathon (c. 446-401 BC), Athenian poet and playwright. _Nicomachean Ethics _(Aristotle), VI.

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Okay, this chapter's a little shorter than the first few. Still, I hope this chapter clarifies a few things. So, I shall continue to wage war with writer's block as I write the next chapter!

Lightpaladin;)


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